"Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and your stranger that is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear YHWH your Elohim, and observe to do all the words of this law."

Torah Portions

Be You Perfect – Noach Parashat 2010-11

This week’s parashat is in the book of B’reisheet also called Genesis, and is called Noach which means ‘rest’. In this week’s parashat:

– Noach was just and perfect in his generations
– The Earth was filled with violence so Elohim said He would destroy all flesh
– Noach commanded to build an ark and given the dimensions
– Promise made to Noach to save him and establish His covenant with him
– Command to bring the animals and food for them into the ark
– Noach saved because he is righteous
– Noach commanded to bring 7 pairs of male and female clean animals and 2 pairs of the unclean
– Noach told when the flood would come and how long it would last
– Once Noach enters the ark the floods and rain start
– Waters covered the Earth and lifted up the ark
– All flesh died that was upon the Earth
– On the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark rested on Mount Ararat
– The waters continued to decrease until the tenth month on the 1st day of the month
– At the end of forty days Noach opened the window and sent a raven out until the waters dried up
– He also sent a dove to see if the waters were abated but the dove found no rest for her foot
– Noach stayed another seven days and then sent out the dove again
– The dove returned with a olive leaf in her mouth and Noach stayed another 7 days
– Noach sent the dove again and it did not return
– Noach removed the cover of the ark on the 1st day of the 1st month on the six hundred and first year
– On the 2nd month in the 27th day the earth was dried
– Elohim commands Noach to go out of the ark and let the animals multiply
– Noach built an altar and took of the clean animals and sacrificed to YHWH
– YHWH promises not to smite the Earth for the wickedness of man or to destroy every living thing as he did
– Elohim blesses Noach and tells him to multiply
– Noach is told he shall rule over all living thing and they shall be for food
– Command not to eat blood
– Elohim sets a rainbow as a sign He will not destroy the Earth or all flesh again with water
– Noach’s sons Shem, Cham, Yafet replenish the Earth
– Noach becomes a farmer and plants a vineyard
– Noach was drunk in his tent and was naked and Cham looked on his fathers nakedness
– Shem and Yafet went in backwards and covered their father up
– When Noach woke up he cursed Kena’an and blessed Shem and Yafet
– Noach lived 950 years old
– These are the generations of Yafet Noach’s son
– These are the generations of Cham Noach’s son
– These are the generations of Shem Noach’s son
– All the people spoke one language and decide to build a tower to heaven
– YHWH saw them building the tower and mixed up their languages and they were scattered
– Generations of Shem given again
– Avram takes a wife, Sarai but she can’t have children
– Haftarah – Promise to restore His people after they are punished

In this weeks Parashat we see that Noach is described as Just and perfect in his generations. That is Tzadeek and Tawmeem. Righteous and perfect! It is followed up with it saying he walked with Elohim. One could see the implication that being righteous and perfect is to walk with Elohim. Lets read the first verse again to see what we are being told about Noach.

Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

The Hebrew word Perfect is Tawmeem spelled Tav,mem, yod, mem. In Anceint Hebrew that can mean sign, water, hand, final water. The water in these cases can mean the womb. This concept of perfect could be understood as the sign water and the water. The yod is used for the word and. The two wombs are the first and second birth or being born again. This is the concept of perfection to not just be born in the flesh but born in the spirit. This is repeated many times in the new testament.

Gen 6:9 is the first use of the word perfect. It means perfect, entire, or complete. In the very first use of this word perfect, the other word used to describe this perfect person was righteous. This phrase could also be read that he was entirely righteous or completely righteous. Do to put this in perspective lets look at another description of Noach in verse 6:22

Gen 6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

So Noach did all that Elohim commanded him, and in verse 7:1 the reason he and his family is saved is boiled down to one thing. For you have I seen righteous before me. The whole world was destroyed, every living creature by what measuring stick. Righteousness. period. Judgment on the whole world every race, religion, and even species was about righteousness judged by Elohim. This is how the world was judged last time Elohim judged the world. Nobody was exempt. The interesting thing here is that the first major salvation from Elohim’s judgment was given based on how righteous the person was in Elohim’s eyes. This may be very troubling to many people who are looking to avoid the 2nd judgment of Elohim on all living creatures which is still slated to come but not by water this time, but by fire as Yochanan the Baptist says. Many are hoping for the get out of fire free card of salvation, but they may have the cart before the horse. Noach was saved, but he wasn’t saved in spite of his righteousness and many are hoping for now, he was saved because of his righteousness. He was not saved because of Elohim’s righteousness, he was saved because of his own righteousness. Since Elohim says I am YHWH I change not, I would carefully watch the patterns of how Elohim judged the world last time and what was his measuring stick. It is no surprise it is righteousness that was tied to Noach’s description of being perfect.

Now lets see if this expectation of perfection is applied to any other people who followed Elohim.

2nd use of the word perfect:

Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Gen 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

These verses state to Avram that he is commanded to be perfect and YHWH will make a covenant with him and multiply him. Seems like a little pattern forming here. Lets go further. What does it mean to be perfect? What is Elohim’s measure of perfection? What is the standard of Perfection?

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

If the law is perfect and it converts the soul, what does that soul convert to? perfection? Are you saying that the Law is perfect and it causes other people to become perfect? Was obeying Elohim the reson Noach was considered perfect?

Gen 6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

It says he did everything Elohim commanded him, then in the next verse it says he was righteous before YHWH. Can that really be why he was saved though?

Pro 28:18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

Now the word for uprightly here is the same exact word for perfect. In fact it is odd that it means perfect, complete, and entire, and somehow it is watered down to upright which has it’s own word in Hebrew. But is walking upright the same as walking perfect. I don’t think so. Here is how the verse should read:

Whoso walks perfect shall be saved. It seems that leaves less spots for salvation…. I will also note that it is interesting that perfection is tied to walking or halacha. Noach it said was righteous, perfect, and walked with Elohim. Avram was told Walk before me and be you perfect. Is this really the expectation of Elohim even though he has flat out said it over and over again? Does He expect things to be perfect for Him to accept them?

Lev 22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

OK seems like a high bar, and yes many of the people who he saved had these traits, but lets look at the expectation for Mashiach in this messianic prophecy:

Deu 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Isa 42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

OK so he is perfect and righteouss, and he will magnify the law, but come on, Mashiach is for us, the sinner, here is a person we can count on to cut us some slack so we can get in the kingdom, you know what I mean. Let’s see his standard for us.

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Now that seems pretty hard, we know you are perfect but are we really supposed to be just like you. I thought you were perfect so I didn’t have to be.

Luk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

OK no way, that was too vague, it only implies we are actually supposed to be perfect like him.

Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

No, I can’t beleive it, maybe that was only for his disciples, but not for us that read their words, yeah it was probably for them because they were setting the example and stuff right.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

But we are all sinners it can’t be that we are still expected to come to perfection after sinning.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

But I have faith, you can’t be telling me I have to learn to have righteous works, isn’t my faith better than works?

Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

My pastors never taught this, shouldn’t they be teaching we are suposed to measure up to the same perfection of Mashiach if they are teaching Elohim’s people?

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

How could I miss thiss message all through the new testament?

Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.